Another Place, Another Time
by ForeverAnimated
Summary: Lightyear is a villian who controls the universe. Mira is a fatherless, emotional wreck. XR is a noble, valiant hero. Too many things are different in the BloSC alternate universe ...or are they still somewhat the same? Mira/XR
1. Chapter I

_**A/N -**_I've had this plotbunny for quite a while now, and I was discussing it on the Marred forum with BG and she suggested I give it a go! I was wondering about the alternate universe from the episode "Lightyear Factor", and how different it was from the regular BloSC universe. Then this plotbunny hit me - about how XR and Mira would be affected by the war of the alternate universe. So, I'm writing this. It is going to be a multi-chaptered fic, but not that long, because I know I need to be working on my MtR fic (which had been on hiatus for who knows how long.) XD

Rated T, because the beginning is very dark. There's a character death and blood - but other than that, it really doesn't need to be rated T - no one is cursing or anything.

And yes, it is Marred. You have been warned, Beer and Wine shippers. ;-)

* * *

**Chapter I**

**----  
**

_I watched the world float to the dark side of the moon__  
After all I knew it had to be something to do with you  
__I really don't mind what happens now and then  
As long as you'll be my friend at the end_

"Kryptonite" - 3 Doors Down

----

"So ... you _do_ see, Your Highness?" Commander Nebula finally spoke again, breaking the silence that resulted from his rather difficult explanation. "Lightyear is a ominous threat to the security of the entire universe. And ..." he paused, clearing his throat, "I'm afraid that even Tangea is not safe from his fiendish ways."

All of the Tangean Royals stared back at him blankly, trying to make sense of what he had said. Commander Nebula was especially unnerved by the astonished stare of the young Princess Mira Nova. Her mouth hung open slightly, her deep blue eyes filled with concern. Tangea ... unsafe? How could that be? Tangea was her home - her refuge. She had always been protected from the dangerous things that lurked up in space, in the other planets, and even in her own backyard. Sure, palace life could get dull, especially with no one to really talk to. Sure, she wished that she could escape sometimes. But deep down, she knew that she belonged here. She would always be safe on Tangea.

But now, thanks to a rogue and very malicious space ranger named Buzz Lightyear, their security - her security - would be threatened.

She shifted her glance to her father, King Nova, sitting in his throne and shuffling his feet uncomfortably. Even without their Tangean mind powers, Mira could tell that he knew what decision to make. And even though she had fought with him over various issues, she knew that he was a wise king who was looking out for her well-being, and not to mention the well-being of the rest of the palace.

"Commander Nebula," King Nova spoke, his voice majestic, regal, and yet somewhat distant, "You are very convincing indeed." He sighed heavily, "It is true. I have seen the damage that Lightyear has done across the galaxy, but I tended to ignore it, thinking that Tangea could withstand everything. But now you've shown me ... that we do need your help." King Nova paused, then announced loudly, "Tangea will gladly join the Galactic Alliance."

Nebula nodded his head . "You won't regret it, Your Highness. We are prepared to offer full protection for your planet. Although," Nebula paused, "I must be honest. The Galactic Alliance took a heavy blow after Lightyear destroyed Star Command. But the rangers that have survived are extremely dedicated to the safety of the rest of the universe. And we are 100% committed to, as the ranger motto says, serve and pro -"

Suddenly, Nebula was interrupted by a loud crash from above. Mira jerked her head up and gasped.

There he was, sitting atop a giant red robot. The master of evil himself: Buzz Lightyear.

He smirked and chuckled evilly, taking a large weapon seemingly from out of nowhere and pointing it toward the crowd below.

They all heard him speak. Unfortunately, he was never much for words.

"Hate to break up a party, but -"

He fired one single shot from his weapon. From then on, everything went too fast for Mira. As that one blast traveled through the air, everyone could hardly react ... before the large bullet entered straight into the heart of the Tangean king.

King Nova jerked back, as blood spewed out from within him. He didn't even take another breath as he hit the floor. He was dead on impact.

Mira could only cry out, "NOOOOOO!"

She rushed towards him, pandemonium breaking out around her as the Tangeans ducked for cover, and the rangers around her, including Commander Nebula himself, sprang into action, opening fire on both Buzz and the robot.

Mira could care less about anything now - except ...

"Father?!" She knelt down to him, gasping at the sight of him. He was covered in blood, his face frozen in a shocked expression, his eyes staring lifelessly at the ceiling above.

"Father!" She said more urgently. She pressed her hands to him, pushing hard. She tried to get him to take a breath. With everything inside of her, she willed him to wake up, to get up - to reassure her that everything would be alright and that he wasn't really injured all that bad.

She tried. But she knew it was in vain.

"Daa-ddy..." She voice cracked, as her tears now started to flow freely. Everything else around her, all the chaos of the room, stopped. The only thing left was her ... desperately clinging to her father, her hands covered in his blood.

"No, no! DAAAADY! NO!"

----

Mira shot up from her bed in a panic, with cold sweat on her forehead. She panted, shivering and out of breath. It took her a good five minutes for her heartbeat to return to a normal rate.

This was the third time this had happened to her. The third time she had this horrible nightmare. The third time she had woken up in fright. The third time - in a row.

She got up out of her bed slowly, still shaking. She went to the bathroom, flicked on the light, and splashed cold water on her face. She stared into the mirror blankly, her mind racing as the leaky facet in the sink dripped.

Why did this keep happening? Her father had died months ago. Why was the nightmare of that fateful day haunting her? Why couldn't she sleep? Why couldn't she have any peace?

She took a deep breath and dried her face off with a towel. Then she stared back at her reflection.

She was a mess. Her eyes were bloodshot. Her hair was sticking all over the place. Her hands were trembling. She sighed. She hadn't recovered. She would _never _recover.

Not unless that blood- thirty animal - that tyrant - that brute Lightyear was shot straight in the heart. Right where her father had been shot.

Mira blinked back tears as she started to remember her father. He had finally agreed to join the alliance. He had thought about it before, but he was a nostalgic old man, and not willing for change. Mira was actually rather indifferent to the idea. But that day, King Nova had known that he could no longer protect his kingdom from Lightyear.

That's why he agreed - so that they would be safe. How ironic.

Not moments after he agreed, Lightyear killed him. Instantly. Without any sort of emotion whatsoever. He was just a ... a cold blooded killer. That's all he'd ever be.

There had been a fight. The rangers that were there tried to stop Lightyear. But he was much too powerful.

They had to retreat - and they took the princess with them. And that's when Mira made up her mind to become one of them - to become a space ranger.

With the right amount of training, maybe she could track down Lightyear. Maybe she could avenge her father's death. Make Lightyear pay for what he did to him ... to her father.

Her father ... he would have been crushed if he was alive. Lightyear had utterly destroyed Tangea. All of Tangea's beauty and elegance - gone without a trace. Lightyear had complete control of that planet now. Along with every other planet in the galactic alliance - and not to mention, the entire universe.

She had to face the facts - her future was bleak.

Mira sniffed. If only her father was here. He'd know the right things to say. He was always a kind, gentle man and not to mention a wise, noble leader. If only she could go back in time, and apologize for all the times she accused him of being boring and bland - for all the times she'd been insufferable and unfair to him. Now all those petty little fights didn't matter. He was the only thing that mattered. How she wished that he could be here - to wrap her in his arms and tell her that everything was going to be okay ...

Mira couldn't stand it anymore. She broke down and started to cry, right there in front of the sink. Her body shook uncontrollably with each loud sob, and tears poured down her cheeks.

Suddenly, she ran from the bathroom, out of the bedroom, out the door and into the dimly lit hallway of her new home, Star Command. She fled down the hall, crying as she walked. Not knowing where she was going, but knowing that she had to get out of there ...

----

It was Monday, 4:00 AM - which meant that XR had the night shift. He patrolled the hallways of Star Command, his large metal feet clanking as he slowly walked.

Unlike most of the rangers, XR liked having the night shift. He knew it was one of the most important jobs a space ranger could have. Star Command was no longer as safe as it used to be, or _supposedly_ ever was. XR had never known a "safe" universe. By the time he was constructed, Lightyear had already taken control of most of the universe. Star Command had been his first target. He had gotten past the security systems and went on a killing spree, gunning down as many rangers as he could. Nebula issued a red alert and they evacuated as many rangers as they could. But by that time, Lightyear had already accessed Star Command's super-computer and had gained knowledge of all the planets in the Galactic Alliance - plus Star Command's weakness. He set a bomb - and blew up Star Command.

XR shook his head. It was a miracle that Nebula and those rangers were able to survive. They managed to keep a low-profile, and tried to protect planets from Lightyear's destructive rampage - but to no avail. Lightyear had taken control of everything.

It took them many years to salvage what they could of the Star Command's remains. But they did. And now they were in hiding. It was all they could do.

But there was still a chance Lightyear could find them. If he did, they would need someone to keep them safe. The night shift was an important job, and that's why XR liked it.

Plus, it gave him the chance to think.

He was built many years after Lightyear took control. Nebula was a little wary when the LGMs proposed the idea of his construction, but eventually he gave in - what did they have to lose? And Nebula had told XR many times over that he never regretted his decision - that XR had proved himself to be a valuable ranger, a noble and dedicated ranger. The two of them formed sort of a close relationship, and XR even started to call him "Pop", a nickname which Nebula found endearing.

Aside from Pop, XR really never had anyone. He was born into a cruel universe, where destruction and devastation was a way of life. Each day was a battle for their lives. All of the other rangers had a respect for XR, but he wasn't sure if he really fit in with anyone.

He sighed. Of course he wouldn't fit in; he was a robot. The only other robot in Star Command was a rather demented photocopier named XL who, much to XR's annoyance, took to calling him "little brother." Apparently he was the robot ranger prototype or something ... obviously, it didn't work out, because instead of fighting Lightyear, XL was collating documents.

XR sighed. And how could he forget those female rangers? It never ceased to amaze him how silly women could be. How, even when they were in such dire, pressing times, they still found time to flirt. And of all people, they chose to flirt with him.

He could clearly hear their voices echoing through his processor. "You know, Star Command's lucky to have a ranger as dedicated as you." "Do you think we could have lunch together sometime?" "It must be so cool being the first robot ranger." "You are sooo brave, XR!"

Ugh. XR rolled his eyes. How could those girls be so shallow? He never wanted the attention that they offered him. No, he wanted something real, something genuine ...

Like he'd ever get it.

Suddenly, XR was thrust out of his thoughts when he collided with a very fast, blueish blur that had just flew around the corner. Because he was so strong and made of metal, the blueish thing fell backwards and landed on the floor.

XR shook his head and blinked. Right in front of him was the Tangean princess, space ranger Mira Nova.

He gasped. She was the last person he wanted to knock over.

"Ouch!" Mira cried, putting her hand to her head. It felt like she had hit a solid wall. When her vision cleared, she looked up and saw the tall robot ranger, XR, looking down at her worriedly.

"Are you okay! I-I'm sorry." He offered his hand to help her up. She thrust it out of the way.

XR blinked in confusion, but went on. "Wow! That was a pretty nasty collision. Your eyes are bloodshot. Maybe you should -"

"Maybe _you _should watch where you're going, Metal Head!" She shouted angrily as she stood up.

Jeesh. "I said I was sorry!" XR said, maybe a little bit too harshly.

"Whatever." Mira brushed past him and continued to storm down the hall.

He started to walk on, but something about her demeanor didn't seem right - aside from the fact that she was snippier than usual.

"Hey?" He called over his shoulder. "You sure you're okay?"

"Drop it, Tin Man!" She bellowed back. She raced down the hall, turned the corner, and was soon out of sight.

_Okay ..._ XR thought. Maybe he should just avoid her from now on. After all, he didn't really know her all that well. He thought she pretty cool, but obviously, he was wrong about her.

But still ... he couldn't forget that look in her eyes. Not only were they bloodshot, but they looked tired, empty and almost sad. It almost looked as if she had been ...crying.

XR shook his head. _Don't get involved. Not after the way she spoke to you. You heard what she said - just drop it!_

But the more he tried to convince himself, the harder it was to believe. With a resigned sigh, he turned around and headed back down the hall. He didn't know what he could do, but he knew that he couldn't just leave her ...like that.

* * *

_**A/N -**_ Like it? Hate it? Let me know. Reviews are greatly luved. 3


	2. Chapter II

_**A/N - **_Wow! Sorry for the long hiatus. Tis all my fault. Thank you reviewers for reviewing. It's really appreciated! Well, enjoy the next chapter!

* * *

**Chapter II**

**----  
**

_My heart's a battleground_  
"Sanctuary" _- _Utada Hikaru

_Just turn around and I'll be there  
I'm movin' into your atmosphere_  
"Atmosphere" - TobyMac

----

Meanwhile, about a parsec away in the dark void of space, an enormous dreadnaught soared ominously through the galaxy. Despite being rather large, the dreadnaught carried only a single passenger (aside, of course, from the thousands of robotic militants stored in the immense cargo area.) And that one passenger was obviously Lightyear himself.

He sat in his pilot's chair, surveying the universe that he had conquered. _His _universe. As he passed by each desolate planet, a feeling of pride and accomplishment rushed through his veins. He remembered each conquest vividly, savoring each and every detail of their destruction.

But now, he had a job to do. He knew full well that he hadn't succeeded in destroying every life form in the universe. There were others out there - those that had somehow survived invasions, or had retreated before the real danger struck. And then, of course, there were the rangers.

Lightyear pounded his fist on the dashboard in anger. The _rangers - _that persistent little group that had evacuated Star Command and had taken refuge somewhere - in another quadrant possibly. And of course, the commander survived.

They were not dead yet. But they soon would be. He never settled for anything less than 100% success.

Lightyear smirked. Sure, those rangers thought they were so smart. Were they really that naive, thinking that he didn't notice them rebuilding Star Command? Could they really be thinking that were safe there, in that run-down mausoleum? Or maybe they were just foolishly trying to hold on to that last glimmer of hope in their lives.

"Well, that little sparkling glimmer of hope will be gone by tonight." Lightyear muttered to himself, directing the dreadnaught full-speed ahead to Star Command.

----

After running blindly down the hall for about a minute, Mira stopped to catch her breath. Her aching legs compelled her to sit down in the middle of the hallway, and her mind raced with condemning thoughts that hit her like sharp arrows.

Why was she running? She should be smart enough to know that she couldn't run from her problems. She should be strong enough to face them, so why couldn't she? Why was she so weak? Why did this hurt so much?

Her thoughts wandered back to XR. Why'd she have to be so snippy with him? He was just trying to help - all he did was care about her well-being. She felt her throat sting. Now he'd hate her, just like the rest of the universe hated her. Why did she have to push away the only friend she ever had?

And for the second time that night, Mira cried her heart out.

She realized how ridiculous she would look if anyone found her - sitting on the floor, her face buried into her small, delicate hands, her body shaking with each uncontrollable sob. Of course, she realized how much of a wimp she was being, but truthfully, she didn't care. Her dignity was already gone. It had died with her father and with the rest of her home planet. She'd already lost everything, so what more could she lose?

Suddenly, the door across the hall swung open, revealing a large, very furious-looking Joadian. "Hey!" He shouted angrily, "Would you pipe down?! It's four 'o clock in the morning!"

Mira jerked her head up, tears streaming down her face. She hadn't realized that she had parked herself right in front of a ranger's room. And not just any ranger's room - Booster Munchapper's room.

Booster was known for being a rather grouchy, brusque alien from the planet Joad. He was a farmer by trade, and lived there with his family - until Lightyear destroyed their planet. Like Mira, he was never the same after that. Now, he was much more bitter and impatient.

Mira shuddered. Booster was a guy she didn't want to mess with. Especially not now, in her tender emotional state. She just looked up at him silently, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Whatcha lookin' at, Tangean?" He growled. Then, he noticed her tears. But instead of responding with compassion, he sneered in disgust. "What's with the crying? Havin' a nervous breakdown or somethin'?"

Mira gritted her teeth. It was all she could do to keep from lashing out at him. _Getting into a fight with this guy is NOT a good idea, Mira._ She told herself.

But Booster continued. "Ranger life too tough for a princess like you? Too hard? Too rough? You figured it out, didn't ya? Just not cut out for this line of work, are ya?"

"Zip it, Tiny!" Mira snapped. She sprung from the floor like a jack-in-box, her fists clenched tightly in anger.

"Aww, did I hit a nerve?" He prodded.

"Listen, you!" Mira growled, waving a fist at him. "I've just about had enough of your rudeness! Why don't you just shut up and -"

"Whoa! Whoa! What's going on here?!" A slightly metallic voice shouted from down the hallway. Mira and Booster jerked around.

XR rushed towards the two of them. He had been following Mira - he wanted to see what she was upset about. But he had never expected to run into her and Booster getting into a fight. He knew that he had to stop them before things got ugly.

"I'll tell you what's going on!" Booster bellowed. "The princess decided to have an emotional breakdown right in front of my door. Her sobbing and sniveling was gonna keep me up all night!"

"I was not sniveling!" Mira shouted back. "And I was not having an emotional breakdown! I was just ... I was..." She paused, trying to give a possible explanation for the situation.

"All right, everyone calm down." XR said gently, trying to ease the tension. "We don't want to wake up all of Star Command."

"Well, then I suggest you get rid of Miss Crybaby here." Booster grumbled.

Mira was about to protest, when XR interrupted her. "Look, Munchapper. Why don't you just go back to sleep?" He suggested. "I'll handle things from here. And you won't be 'disturbed' any longer."

Booster snorted. "Yeah, sure," He replied sarcastically. "Good luck." He turned and went back into his room, shutting the door firmly

XR glanced back at Mira. She gazed at the floor and wrung her hands. Obviously, something was troubling her. And he didn't have to know her all to well to see that.

He could feel his engine heat up as he looked at her. She was just so upset ... so depressed. But why? What had happened to her? Why was she in so much pain?

He knew he should say something to her, but he didn't even know where to begin. He wanted to reassure her that everything was okay, but he didn't even know what had happened to begin with. Besides, he never was very good at comforting others. He was always afraid that he was going to say the wrong thing. But he knew that they couldn't just keep standing in an awkward silence like this.

"Mira ... um, that is ... Ranger Nova." XR spoke up nervously. Mira lifted her head, her blue eyes staring blankly up at him. "Let's go have a talk in the rec room." He motioned down the hall.

Mira sighed. Now, she'd have to give an explanation for her ridiculous behavior.

_Well, better to get it over with. _She thought glumly_, _as she followed XR down the dimly lit hallway.


	3. Chapter III

_**A/N -**_ Again, it's been too long. I really need to update more frequently. XD This chapter's a little more interesting ... hopefully.

* * *

**Chapter III**

**----  
**

_I wonder why you've been hurting  
__I wish I had some way to say__  
You're going through so much  
Don't you know that I could be the one to hold you?_  
"Yours to Hold" - Skillet

Tony: What are you doing, Ziva?  
Ziva: I'm observing you, Tony.  
Tony: Could you do it in a less creepy manner?_  
NCIS -_ "Silver War"

----

After tossing and turning on a rather uncomfortable mattress for a good half-hour, Commander Nebula finally sat up in bed, grumbling as he buried his face in his palms. He lifted his head slightly, staring mindlessly at the empty walls of his dark room. Then he sighed heavily.

It was no use. He wouldn't be able to get back to sleep - not after being rudely awakened by the raucous voices in the hallway. (Seriously, who would be arguing at this time of night?) He was relieved when he finally heard a metallic voice break up the fight. Nebula smiled to himself. Good, old, dependable XR.

But even after the argument in the hallway had ceased, Nebula still couldn't drift off into slumber. Something deep inside of him was nagging him - something big and something bad. He had the strangest, most intense feeling that all was not well, and that something very horrible was going to happen. This overwhelming sense of impending doom was consuming him - occupying his mind and making it impossible to sleep. And he realized that no amount of logical reasoning would make this dread go away.

Nebula sighed again. Why bother fighting it? It was obvious that he wouldn't be getting his much needed rest, at least not tonight anyway. Frustrated and annoyed, Nebula flung himself out of bed, after fighting for a brief moment to free himself from the sheets he had tangled himself in. He trudged slowly into the bathroom, mumbling something about the curses of insomnia.

In the bathroom, he flicked on the light with one hand and turned the faucet with the other. As he let the water run, he surveyed his haggard appearance in the mirror, and responded to what he saw by simply shaking his head in resignation. Turning and reaching for a towel, his eyes wandered over the small window on the opposite side.

Nebula froze in his place, gaping at what he saw. No ... it couldn't be. It shouldn't be! Not here, not now. Not after all they'd been through. They'd been so cautious, so careful. They'd worked so hard to stay under the radar for so long. It was simply impossible. How could it have happened! It shouldn't have ...it couldn't have. He couldn't have found them now!

But he had. There was no mistaking it. There was Buzz Lightyear's massive dreadnaught looming ominously above Star Command as plain as day. He'd done it somehow. And of course he had. After all, it was Buzz Lightyear. He could do anything.

Just then, Commander Nebula quickly snapped out of his stupor, the cruel reality finally dawning on him. He knew what they would have to do. They would have to evacuate, and they would have to hurry if they wanted to get out alive.

----

"So ... uh, here we are." XR offered, pushing open the double doors to the recreation room.

"Yeah. So we are." Mira replied weakly. She trudged past XR as he held the door open for her, mumbling a quick, barely-audible 'thank you' as she passed.

XR stood in the doorway, observing her silently. He watched as she crossed the room slowly, and plopped down on the scratchy green couch in the corner of the room, sighing wearily and staring down at the floor. Seeing her there, she looked so small and downcast. XR tilted his head slightly. He noticed a small, single tear running slowly down her cheek. He felt his engine churn uncomfortably. Watching her was making his heart break ... or at least, his robot equivalent of a heart.

Mira could feel a pair of eyes on her. Slowly, she lifted her head and saw the large robot standing there, staring at her.

"What?" She asked, slightly annoyed.

XR jerked. Oh craters, she must've thought ... oh, why did he have to stare at her like an idiot?

"N - Nothing," He stammered. He turned away from her, feeling his face get hot with embarrassment. Desperately, he tried to think of something to say. Anything ...

He spotted a coffee maker across the room from where Mira was sitting. Perfect. "Uh ... Mira? W-would," XR cleared his throat, "would you like some coffee?"

"Mmm-hmm." Mira nodded slowly. "Sure, thanks." She whispered softly.

"No problem." XR chuckled nervously, as he busied himself with the coffee maker. _Phew, that was close,_ he thought.

Mira shook her head. What was up with him? _He probably doesn't want to talk to me_, Mira thought, _and who can blame him after how I treated him. Why do I have to do that? _She heaved a deep sigh and felt her throat sting as she fought back the tears again.

The silence was now getting very unbearable. XR stood by the coffee maker, his back to Mira, racking his micro-chip brain to think of the right thing to say. He didn't want to upset her further, but he wanted to know ... he _needed_ to know ... why she was so sad.

"Uh, Mira..." He started.

"What?" She asked sullenly.

"Th-there was something ... before I mean. You," His voice became soft and low, "you were crying."

"Yeah ...so?" Mira said defensively, wiping her cheek self-consciously

"No, I just wanted to know why you were ... you know, upset." He explained, turning around to face her. "I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Really?" She asked hopefully. Her face light up slightly and her ruby-red lips curved into a small, shy smile. XR felt his engine rev as he looked into her big, blue eyes. She was smiling now. That was good. It meant that he said the right thing.

"Yeah," he said slowly, "I mean, you're upset. So ... yeah." XR mentally kicked himself. He could've worded that better.

Mira lowered her head and frowned slightly. "Yeah, well ... I'd rather not talk about it."

"Oh," XR said disappointedly, "Well, that's okay." Yup, definitely could've worded that better.

Suddenly, the coffee maker bubbled and sputtered loudly, sending a thin spray of brown liquid into the air. XR jumped back quickly. Mira blinked.

"Uh, is it supposed to do that?" She asked.

"Yeah." XR admitted, "It's kind of ..." The coffee maker shook violently, then stopped, and emitted a low grumbling noise. "...temperamental." XR finished, he glanced back at Mira and shrugged his shoulders.

"Okay..." She said slowly.

"Here." XR handed her a small, green Star Command mug and a small silver spoon.

"Thanks." She whispered. XR watched her hold the mug in her small, delicate hands. But she didn't take a drink - she just sat there, stirring it slowly.

She looked up at him. He was staring ... again. "Is there a problem?" She asked bluntly.

XR shook his head and blinked. He was doing it again, wasn't he? "No ... no problem."

"Then why do you keep staring at me?" She asked impatiently.

"Uh, well ... I..."

Suddenly, an alarm started to blare loudly. Mira jumped with a gasp, nearly dropping her mug of coffee onto the floor. XR's eyes widened in disbelief.

"What's that?" Mira yelled above the noise.

"Red alert!" XR shouted back. His engine went into overdrive. "C'mon, we need to get outta here!" He scooped Mira up in his big, metal arms. He stared at him, utterly startled.

"What are you doing?! Put me down!" She cried, as they rushed through the double doors.

He flung her over his shoulder. "No time to explain! We need to get out of here!"

* * *

LOL. Mira's not going to be too happy.


	4. Chapter IV

_**A/N -**_ Wow, two updates in a row... it's a miracle. XD Well, I said that I was going to be updating more often, and this chapter wasn't very hard to write for me, now that I know where the stories actually going. LOL. So, enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter IV**

**----**

_And it finds me  
The fight inside is coursing through my veins  
And it's raging  
The fight inside is breaking me again  
_"Fight Inside" - RED

_What about the world today  
What about the place that we call home  
We've never been so many  
And we've never been so alone  
_"We Are" - Ana Johnsson

----

"Attention, rangers! Red alert!" Everyone in Star Command sprung up from their beds at the sound of Nebula's urgent voice echoing loudly over the PA system. "This is not a drill! I repeat, this is not a drill! You all know the evacuation plan. Everybody to the launch bay! Go, go, go, go!"

Barely a few seconds later, rangers of all shapes, sizes and species ran swiftly and silently from their rooms and into the hallway. They knew what they had to do - they had rehearsed their evacuation plan countless times. They were fully prepared for it. But this time, it was real. And there was one thing that they knew they weren't prepared for - the fear.

XL, the rather annoying and seriously demented robot-copier, poked his head out of the office room. He had just been in the middle of collating documents when he had heard all the commotion. Something about a red alert.

"Uh, hey!" He addressed a ranger running by. "Is it true that we're, uh, under attack?" The ranger didn't respond, nor even acknowledge the small robot. He just kept on running.

"Oh, uh... I guess it is then." XL murmured slowly to himself. "Craters, did it have to be now? I was just getting ready to fax over the ..." XL's eyes widened as he suddenly grasped the seriousness of the situation. "What am I saying?! I gotta get the heck outta here!"

----

The launch bay soon packed with rangers. Nebula stood on the main balcony, anxiously watching his officers dart to their designated star cruisers. Unfortunately, there were very few working star cruisers left. Lightyear had commandeered all the "good" ones on his first invasion of Star Command. But that didn't matter; they'd still managed to find a way. They had created a system - the LGMs had repaired and refitted each of the remaining cruisers, and they were now filling each one with as many rangers as it could possibly hold. It was what they had to do ... in order to survive.

Now Nebula was getting more and more worried. Most of the rangers were already in the ships, and many of them had already departed from the space station. The commander threw a worried glance at the door. Two of his rangers hadn't passed by. Where were XR and Ranger Nova? Were they locked in a corridor somewhere, trying desperately to get out? Had they not even heard the alarm, by some chance? Or had ... something happened to them?

Just then, the door whooshed open. Nebula let out his breath that he didn't realize he had been holding. XR was running in as fast as his enormous, metal legs could carry him. Nebula's eyebrows raised slightly when he noticed that XR had Mira flung over his back like a sack of potatoes. He shook his head. When this was over ... _if _this was over ... he would have to teach XR the proper way to literally "handle" women.

Mira wasn't too thrilled either. "Put me down, Metal Head! I can run by myself, you know!" She kicked and thrashed about wildly in XR's arms, but he didn't seem to notice. His only care right now was to get on board the star cruiser he had been assigned to. Which, coincidentally, was the same cruiser that Mira Nova had been assigned to. So, he'd just carry her the rest of the way - it would be easier.

Nebula, seeing that his two rangers were accounted for, left the balcony and proceeded to Star Cruiser 27, the same one that Mira and XR were now boarding. The hatch closed quickly and securely behind him after he entered. Nebula paused, looking back and giving a brief sigh - there was no going back now, that was for sure. He turned around to see his robot ranger climbing up into the ship, still carrying a very disgruntled Tangean princess.

"XR ... you can put her down now, son." Nebula said quietly.

XR turned around. "Oh, sure thing, Pop." He replied. He picked Mira up off his back and placed her gently back down on the ground.

"Thank you! It's about time!" She growled angrily. With that, she pushed her way past him and stormed up to the bridge. XR watched her pass, his yellow eyes blinking confusedly. She wasn't grateful? He was just trying to make sure she was safe. Why was she so angry with him?

XR pushed these thoughts out of his mind. No, he shouldn't be thinking about that. They had a real crisis on their hands. Focusing now on the mission in front of him, XR determinedly entered the bridge with Nebula right behind him.

As he walked into the bridge, which was filled up with as many rangers as it could hold, XR was greeted by a loud, not-so-friendly voice.

"You! You told me that she wouldn't bother me again! And here we are, on the same star cruiser!"

XR groaned to himself. There he was - the last person he wanted to see, sitting in the pilot's seat like some sort of big-shot. Ranger Munchapper. Of course, he would get stuck with him. Just his luck.

Booster turned and pointed an accusing finger at Mira, who was standing right beside him, glaring at him. "Well, thanks to you, I got a pretty crappy sleep. So, if I crash this cruiser and we all die, then it's all your fault!"

All the other rangers waiting in the bridge fell silent, staring in disbelief at the Mira and Booster. XR shook his head in frustration. _Oh boy, this does not bode well_, he thought.

"Why don't you shut up?!" Mira shouted back, waving her fist in the air. "I'm in no mood to deal with your -"

"EVERYBODY QUIET!" Nebula boomed. The two arguing rangers immediately fell silent. Everyone eslse turned and saluted their commander.

"We can't just sit here dilly-dallying! Or arguing like a bunch of school girls!" Nebula paused, and threw a dangerous glance at Mira and Booster. "We're under attack, for Pete's sake! Booster, get up! I'm driving this ship." The commander hurried over to the pilot's seat, and Booster quickly scrambled out of it and moved to the co-pilot's seat. "Everyone, prepare for lift-off!"

The rangers scattered, each looking for a vacant seat. Most left the bridge to go sit elsewhere in the ship. Mira plopped down in the seat behind Commander Nebula. XR just stood where he was. He didn't need to sit down. He was strong and sturdy, so the ship wouldn't jostle him around too much. Plus, he realized that they were short on space and they needed as many seats as possible.

Nebula gave a short countdown, then prepared the thrusters. XR felt the ship lurch forward as they soared out of Star Command's launch bay and into the dark void of space.

----

From the cockpit of his dreadnought, Lightyear watched as the rangers cowardly fled Star Command in their dinky little star cruisers. He smirked. Didn't they realize how pathetic they looked?

Lightyear laughed to himself. This would be a piece of cake. He'd just swoop down and pick off their ships, one by one. He'd put them under so much fire that they would have no chance to escape. All except Commander Nebula's ship, of course.

He clenched his fist. Nebula ... their beloved commander, the biggest do-gooder in this galaxy. He'd been waiting for decades for the moment when their commander realized his defeat at the hands of Lightyear and surrendered. But Lightyear wouldn't kill him. No, he had a fate much worse than death in mind for him...

And now was his chance. Buzz pulled a lever on the control panel of his ship, and the engine roared to life. Time to destroy the rangers once and for all.

----

"There he is!" Commander Nebula shouted, pointing up at Lightyear's dreadnaught, gliding above a star cruiser far off in the distance. "Full speed ahead!"

"Full speed ahead? Are you sure?" Booster asked nervously.

"Of course I'm sure!" Nebula roared, banging his fist on the dashboard. "We can't retreat! That's exactly what he wants us to do! And besides, he'll destroy Star Cruiser 19 if we don't stop him! And I won't just retreat while my rangers die!"

Booster's eyes widened. "Okay, full speed ahead it is, then." He pushed small, red button, giving even more power to the thrusters.

XR watched in horror out the front window of the cruiser. Pop was right. That cruiser was under heavy fire, and now Lightyear was dispatching large, blue hornets, which were now starting to surround the cruiser from all sides.

Nebula skillfully and discreetly steered the ship above the dreadnought. They had come up from behind it, and so far, Lightyear hadn't detected their presence. Then, the commander deployed the guns on their cruiser and started firing down on Lightyear's massive ship.

The dreadnought rocked slightly and Buzz became aware of the cruiser above him. His scanner told him that it was Star Cruiser 27. A malicious smile spread across his face. Perfect ... it was Nebula's ship.

For that moment, Lightyear forgot about the small little cruiser he was attacking. He ceased fire and swerved away, trying to get a visual of the commander's ship.

"It's working!" Mira exclaimed suddenly. She hadn't said anything the whole time, and now suddenly realized how strangely giddy her voice sounded.

"Hold on, ranger." Nebula warned. "It's not over yet."

Mira's smile faded. Of course it wasn't over. Who was she kidding? It would never be over. At least, not until Lightyear was dead.

Suddenly, her nightmares came flooding back to her. She could visualize her father - lying lifelessly on the cold palace floor, his eyes staring vacantly at the ceiling above. And all the blood ...

Mira's eyes narrowed. She had promised herself that Lightyear would pay for that. She had promised herself that she would get revenge on him. She had promised herself that she would be the one to shoot him right in the heart ... right where her father had been shot. Her nightmares, her curse, her lifestyle of dread and fear would never be over until this had been accomplished. And suddenly, the commander's orders meant nothing to her.

"Sorry, Nebula." She said briskly. "That's not gonna happen."

Nebula, so focused on steering the ship and firing the weapons, almost didn't hear her at first. But then he whirled around. "What?!" He asked incredulously.

"You heard me." Mira replied cooly. She, not waiting for a response, then darted for the launch tubes, while everyone stared after her, utterly shocked.

"What's that crazy Tangean trying to do now?!" Booster exclaimed. For once, he was right, XR realized.

"XR, go after her!" Commander Nebula ordered. Without saying a word, the large robot followed his command.

Meanwhile, Lightyear had curved off to the side, and finally spotted Star Cruiser 27. "There you are!" He chuckled evilly. He made a big circle, and started to pursue the commander's ship.

All of the sudden, he spotted something. Something small had ejected itself from the cruiser. What?! No way. It couldn't be. They wouldn't be stupid enough to try something like that, would they?

"Oh, this is too good to pass up!" Lightyear uttered happily. He continued towards the direction of the ranger, aiming his guns right at her.

Mira flew directly towards the enormous, purple ship, clutching a large gun, which she had "borrowed" from inside Cruiser 27. She didn't know exactly how to do it, but she knew exactly what to do. She would ghost inside the dreadnought and sneak up behind Lightyear. She'd corner him inside his ship, and then ...

"Mira, what are you doing?!" She heard a metallic voice shout from behind her. She rolled her eyes and flew on, ignoring it. Of course Nebula had sent his precious, little "son", XR after his disobedient ranger. Well, she wasn't just going to give up now. It was too late for that.

XR couldn't believe what he was seeing. She had just totally ignored him. Didn't she understand what she was doing to herself? Didn't she understand the full extent of Lightyear's power? Didn't she get it at all?!

Well, he wouldn't just let her die. He couldn't! It was his duty to protect her, no matter what she attempted to do.

She just kept on flying towards the ship, utterly determined to carry out her mission. That's when she suddenly noticed the gun on the side of Lightyear's ship, which was aimed right at her...

One of the last things she heard was XR screaming, "Mira, NOOOOO!" Then, a loud boom as she quickly braced for impact, and then blacked out completely.

* * *

_**A/N - **_I was glad that XL could have at least one appearance. Also, the whole picking-up-Mira-and-throwing-her-over-the-shoulder thing is kind of from _Shrek_. And Star Cruiser 27 is a nod to BG, or BandGeek7**27**.

And I have a question: is dreadnought really a word, and is that how you spell it? I'm beginning to doubt spell check.

So, I hope you enjoyed. Who knows the next time I'll update ... it may be tomorrow or it may be a couple weeks from now. But I do want to not have as many delays in between chapters, 'cuz I know how annoying that is. And please review. I like reviews! XD


	5. Chapter V

_**A/N - **_To my readers: I sincerely apologize for the unearthly delay (and the fact that I left off on a cliffhanger - something I rarely ever do.) I actually had this chapter finished quite a while ago, but everytime I tried to upload it, there seemed to be a problem - hence the delay. But, seriously, it's been almost a year since my last update, and there really is no excuse. So, I hope you enjoy this long overdue chapter. On with the story!

* * *

Chapter V

_Walk this world alone_  
_Try to stay on my feet_  
_Sometimes crawl, fall _  
_But I stand, cuz I'm afraid to sleep _  
_Open my eyes to a new day _  
_With all new problems and all new pain_  
"Looking for Angels" - Skillet

Mira was eventually awakened from unconsciousness by a slight throbbing in her head, which slowly started to morph into a loud, brutal pounding - much like that of a hammer making contact with her skull. She groaned, and turned over on her side, clutching her forehead and rubbing her temples. She took a few deep breaths, and her eyelids fluttered open, letting in the harsh shine of the fluorescent lights on the ceiling of ... wherever she was. Mira winced at the brightness that her eyes were not yet accustomed to, and she lifted her hand to shield the sharp light that was piercing her brain like a laser.

As she was doing so, a gruff, yet familiar voice rang out from across the room. "So, I see you're awake. Good."

"Huh? Wha-?" Mira sat up slowly, afraid of what she would find. Her vision started to clear from a fuzzy, nondescript blur to something much more distinct and recognizable. She could now see Commander Nebula sitting across from her in a small blue chair.

"Oh, look. She can talk." Nebula muttered. Mira detected a slight, mocking edge to his voice.

"Uh," Mira scratched her head. She was so confused now, and she had so many questions to ask. Where were they? What had happened? Why had she blacked out? What was going on? So many questions with no answers - and which one should she ask first? "Where are we?" Mira finally asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Where _are_ we?" Nebula repeated incredulously, "On Star Cruiser 27, that's where!"

"What?" Mira took a sharp intake of breath. A star cruiser? She had assumed that they were in some vacant room of Star Command that she had never been in before. But ... they were in the cruiser? Why? The only reason they would be in the cruiser would be if Lightyear ...

Suddenly, a flood of memories came crashing down in Mira's mind, like an enormous tsunami from planet Bathyos. The events came back to her in quick, little film cuts. (How cliche, she realized.) She remembered her horrible dream of her father s death. She remembered running into Munchapper in the hall and arguing with him. Then she remembered XR and the break room, the red alert, boarding the cruiser and then ...

"Ohhhh." Mira's widened as she remembered what she had done - disobeying orders and going after Lightyear herself. That would be why the Commander was in here with her. Craters.

"Yeah, 'Ohhhh.'" Nebula's voice started to get louder, and Mira braced herself for the emotionally-charged lecture that was sure to follow. "What in blazes were you thinking, Ranger Nova?"

"I don't know." Mira clutched her forehead and sighed. "I guess I was just -"

"That was a rhetorical question, Ranger!" Nebula snapped. "Didn't you realize how much you endangered your own life, along with the lives of everyone else? We could've been captured by Lightyear, instead of being able to retreat into another quadrant like we were able to! And what would he do with us once he captured us? He'd kill us! Did that even cross your mind? Or were you too blinded by your own personal vendetta against Lightyear?"

"You bet I was!" Mira suddenly blurted out in a fit of pent-up anger and frustration, "That monster killed my father! You were there! You saw it! Can you blame me for wanting to avenge my father's death?" Her voice cracked slightly. She knew she couldn t take it any more.

Nebula paused for a brief moment, as if he was letting what she said sink in. But then he shook his head and continued, "But disobeying a direct order! I never, EVER want to see you do that again!"

"Don't you see?" Mira cried desperately, "He was right there! I could have taken him out!"

"But you didn't!" Nebula was getting more and more furious with his disobedient and stubborn ranger, "You were nearly killed! In fact, you should have been!"

For once, Mira remained silent. Nebula was right - she should've been dead. But somehow, for some reason, she wasn't. And maybe ... Mira sniffed slightly as her eyes began to well up with tears ... maybe she would ve been better off dead.

Why did she have to be such a screw up? She should've seen that gun. She should've been able to carry out her plan. And Lightyear should've been dead. But he wasn't - no, he was perfectly fine, of course. Probably already coming up with another plan to attack them, no doubt. All because she didn t take him out when she had the chance.

Nebula took advantage of her sudden silence. "And because you didn't follow orders, you've been reassigned."

Mira blinked. "What?"

"We can't risk having a ranger like you out in the field." Nebula explained, his voice now surprisingly calm and firm, "You're a hazard to yourself, and your teammates. So, instead you'll be staying inside the cruiser at all times, handling maintenance in the engine room."

"You can't do that!" Mira cried.

Nebula's eyes narrowed, but he maintained his composure. "I just did."

-o-

Doors opened with a loud whoosh, as Cosmo, the head chef and owner of Cosmo's Intergalactic Diner stepped into the kitchen. He was greeted immediately by the aroma of his own special creation - Cosmic Chili. Lightyear's favorite.

"How's the chili comin' , Zurg?" Cosmo asked, in his usual, thickly-accented voice.

"Good as always, Cosmo!" Zurg replied cheerfully, as he stirred the sizzling ground beef.

"Making it just the way Lightyear likes it, yes?"

"Yes, just the way he likes it."

"Good." Cosmo said, "You know how cranky he can get if it isn't cooked the right way."

Zurg nodded. How could he forget? Just a few days ago, Lightyear was so unhappy with his meal that he picked up the bowl of chili and flung it across the diner, all before shooting a dangerous glare at Cosmo and storming out the door.

Zurg sighed as he reached for the oregano. He and Cosmo hardly got a single customer, other than Lightyear. But they really couldn't complain - Lightyear was keeping them in business, not to mention sparing their lives from his destruction of the universe.

But still ... he could be a little more agreeable about his food.

-o-

He was angry. No ... he was more than angry. He was livid.

How could they have gotten away, AGAIN? How was it possible? He had them right where he wanted them, especially that Tangean ... what was her name? Oh right, Mira. Princess Mira.

Lightyear made quite a racket as he entered Cosmo s Diner. He stormed through the automatic, airlock doors, grumbling and muttering to himself. Cosmo watched him from the back room, shivering. With each step Lightyear took, it was as if the entire restaurant was shaking. He watched in fear as the disgruntled villain plopped down at the nearest booth.

"Sweet mother of Venus," Cosmo thought worriedly, "he is not 'in the good mood,' as they say."

He popped his head into the kitchen. "Zurg, he's here." He called out nervously, "Is the chili ready?"

"Oh, uh, yes sir." Zurg replied, removing the bowl of steaming chili from the counter with pink oven mitts.

"Good." Cosmo threw an anxious glance towards the door, then leaned in and whispered to his employee, "He's very cranky today. We must be careful not to upset him. You sure this is just the way he likes it, yes?"

Zurg nodded.

"Okay, why don't you go serve it to him? And remember what I said."

"You ... you want me to serve him?" Zurg squeaked incredulously.

Cosmo raised an eyebrow. "Is, uh, that a problem?"

"Oh no, no problem! Why ... why should there be a problem? Heh heh." Zurg laughed nervously.

"...Okay, well..."

"Yep, sure. I m fine. Just on my way to serve ... Lightyear." Zurg gulped. Why me? He thought in despair. What have I gotten myself into?

"H-Here you go, Mr. L-L-Lightyear." Zurg stuttered, clumsily placing the bowl of chili in front of the irate villain. "Cosmic Chili, just the way you like it."

"Great." Lightyear grumbled. "Now leave me alone!"

"Yes, sir!" Zurg said, almost too enthusiastically, and scurried back into the kitchen.

Buzz rolled his eyes and groaned in disgust. Sometimes he wondered why he left this shack open, instead of reducing it to space dust in his first sweep of the universe. The least Cosmo could do would be hiring people that were actually competent ...

And when he thought of competency, his mind went right back to those rangers.

He pounded his fist on the table in a fit of rage. Blast! How could this have happened? How had they possibly eluded him? He sighed in frustration and stared down at his chilli, letting these thoughts simmer in his mind. He realized that he couldn t solve anything by dwelling on his failure. It would be best just to move on and figure out what course of action to take next.

Well, he wouldn't let them get away, of course. He never settled for less than 100% success. Never. He'd get them. Yes, he'd get them - but he'd just have to figure out how.

"Uh, is everything okay, s-sir?" Lightyear looked up slowly. Zurg had appeared again and was standing above him, wringing his pink oven-mitt-wearing hands together anxiously.

"What makes you say that?" Lightyear growled.

Zurg gulped. "Oh, uh ... nothing! Nothing at all! Heh heh!" He paused. "Well, actually, uh ... it is something. You, uh ..."

"Well, spit it out!" He hissed.

"You ... haven t eaten your chili yet."

Lightyear blinked. "Oh." His eyes traveled downward towards the table as he eyed the bowl in front of him. There it was, still steaming. His nose filled with the scent of the perfectly blended spices and herbs. It was truly a culinary miracle. And he hadn't taken one bite.

"Yeah, I haven't." He said slowly, rubbing his temples, "I've just got a lot on my mind, that's all."

"Oh, okay." Zurg replied cautiously, "As long as nothing's wrong with the food..."

"No. In fact," Lightyear lifted his fork and took a bite of the chili, "It's absolutely perfect. Just how I like it. Just how I like everything - 100% perfection."

"And there s nothing wrong with that," Zurg mollified. "With wanting the finer things in life, I mean."

"No ... there isn't." Lightyear said thoughtfully, twirling his fork in his chili dish. He paused, stroking his enormous chin thoughtfully. "There definitely isn't."

Zurg noticed the subtle change in Lightyear's behavior, and began to get even more nervous. "S-something on your mind, sir?" He stammered.

Buzz said nothing. He just smirked, chuckled evilly, and ate a few more forkfulls of chili.

* * *

_**A/N -**_ Yes, I just had to give Zurg an appearance ... pink oven-mitts and all.


End file.
